Wagon end-gate.



A. L. NICHOLSON.

WAGON END GATE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15. I917- Pate nt-ed Apr. 22, 1919 fmfenlov: 0 Zi /24m,

dlttorn e HIDE.

WAGON END-GATE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 22, 1919.

Application filed January 15. 1917. Serial No. 142,347.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALoNzo L. NICHOLSON,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockwell City, in the county of Calhoun and State of Iowa, have invented anew and use ful Improvement in Wagon End-Gates, of which the following is a specification.

. Among the objects of this invention is to arrange an end gate for wagons, so that it can be easily opened to any desired selected position and made to regulate the discharge of grain or other small articles therefrom. Another object is to, provide means for looking the gate closed, partly open, or fully open. Among furtheriobjects are simplicity of construction and greater efiectiveness in use than with devices of this general character heretofore employed.

To these ends my invention comprises the features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter more particularly described and claimed. p

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective showing the gate in open position as it is being swung up; Fig. 2 isanend view, and, Fig. :3 is a section of a deta l.

In the drawing, let A represent a stat1onary board or'what is usually termed an end board of a wagonboxl This stationary board is formed wlth a gate opening B in which the gate member C is movably disposed. Vertically arranged along the sides of the opening B on the stationary board are two guides 3 and 4L of similar construction ,in the form of cleats secured to and reinforcing the stationary board structure by means of bolts or rivets 5 or other suit able fastening means. These guides are fastened on the outer, face of the stationary board, the inner surface, being provided with. correspondingreinforcing cleats or frame members 6 and 7 which are. secured to the stationary board by the same bolts 5 which fasten the members 3 and 4 in place. The inner adjacent edges of the frame members 6 and 7 project into the opening B and form stop members against which the end edges of the gate C overlap and rest when said gate is closed. The adjacent edges 8 between the upper portion of the gate 0 and the uper portion of the margin of the opening are beveled as indicated in 2 in such manner that the upper edge of the gate overlaps the border of'the opening in the stationary board when the gate is closed to assist in forming a tight closure between the gate C and the stationary board. The guides 3 and 4 are similar in construction,

except that one is used on the right hand end of the stationary board, while the other is used on the left hand end. Each of these guldes resembles an angle member, one side of which is secured by the bolts 5 to the stationary board, while theother side 9 proects outwardly to assist in reinforcing the strength of the guide and also to form a guard to prevent grain from escaping laterally when the movable gate member C is in partly open position, with its lower edge resting in the pocket or keeper members D to be hereinafte described.

At the lower end of each of the guides 3 and 4c is a gate pocket or keeper D formed with an inturned flange 10, which inclines inwardly in a downward direction, whereby the upper or mouth end of the socket widens outwardly from the stationary board and the lower end is adapted to hold the lower portion of the gate C tightly inserted in the opening B when the gate opening is closed. The inner face at the upper end of each of the flanges 10 on the gate pockets is formed with a step 11 (see Fig. 8), the steps of the two pocket members being designed to engage the lower outer edge of the gate 0 and support said gate at selected elevation in partly open position on the stationary end board. One or both gate pockets or keepers D are also provided with an upwardly extending series of perforations 12 through any one of which a pin 13 may be inserted to form a step or support for the lower edge of the gate C at any desired elevation. Thus the shoulder 11 and the pin inserted through any of the openings 12 forms a series of steps upon which the movable gate members C may rest as desired to vary the degree of opening of the movable gate member. When desired, both of the pocket members D may be provided with the perforations 12 and a corresponding pin for each, but in practice it has not been found necessary to employ a series of openings and pins in connection with more than one pocket member.- Each of the gate pocketsformed with an outstanding side flange 1 1 and a base plate 15, the latter being secured to one of the side members 16 of the stationary gate board by rivets or bolts 17. The pin 13 is shown attached by one of the bolts 17- end board. Another main hinge element be tween the gate and stationary end board is formed by a bail E bowed outwardly between its ends to produce a leverarm. The opposite end portions of this bailare formed with crank arms 22, 23 and 24-, there being one set of crank arms on each end, the two sets corresponding in position. The members 24; or terminals are hinged in corresponding hinge leaves 25, which are secured by bolts 26 or other suitable means to the stationary end member, while the members 22 are j ournaled in the hinge straps 20 and 21. The two sets of crank arms are so arranged that by swinging the bail member up or down, the gate C is raised or lowered and forced into the opening B below the lower inner ends of the pockets. When the bail is swung downardly against the face of the gate, the crank arms force the upper end of the gate closed tightly with the bevel surfaces 8 compressed. In this position the bail is locked by means of the pivoted lever 27 secured on the outer surface of the gate. When the bail is in fully raised or superior position, it can be locked by the pivoted catch 28, which is mounted upon the upper portion of the stationary end gate. This catch 28 locks the movable gate member in what might be termed normally open position. The catch 27 may also be employed to engage back of the upper edge of the stationary gate member when the movable gate C is in fully raised or superior position. The faces of the lower corners of the movable gate member are provided with wear plates 29, which are. adapted to lodge upon the shoulders 11, rest upon the pin or pins 13 inserted through the openings 12 or press against the inner faces of the downwardly and inwardly inclined flanges 10 of the To open the gate from closed position in the opening 13, a catch 27 is turned down and the bail lever E swung up during which operation the upper end of the gate G is swung outwardly and the entire gate raised. The gate may be made to rest upon any of the steps formed by the shoulders 11 or the pin or pins 13 inserted through any of the perforations 12 at the desired elevation to regulate thesize of the gate opening and the flow of grain or other material out of the wagon box. When it is desired to remove the gate entirely from the opening, the bail is swung upwardly into superior position in which position it can be lockedby allowing the fastener 28 to swing downwardly into engagement with the bail. In thisposition the gate is locked normally open. To lock the gate in ,superior position, the fastener 27 is turned down back of theupper edge of the stationary end member.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I nowconsider to-represent the best embodiment thereof, but ,Idesire to have it understood that the a construction shown is only illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth within the'scope of thefollowing claim.

Having described myv invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1 In an end-gate, a stationary boardr hav' ing a gate opening,a bail ,hingedly supported on said board, agate hingedly connected with said bail, guards at the sides of said opening, and a gate-board poeket near the lower ends of andseparate from each of said guards having pin receiving openings spaced upwardly" apart and a pin adapted to be inserted through any oneflof said openings to produce steps JIPOILWl'llCh the gate-board may rest in open positionat selective elevation' ".1

In testin'lony whereof, I have signedj ny name to this specification.

ALONZO L. NICHQL SON.

(lopies of this patent may be o btainedfor five cents each, by addressing the Commissio ner'of Zatepta Washington, 13- GJ H i i 

